Knowledge, attitudes and practices about breast cancer and self-examination for early detection

Abstract

Background. Breast cancer (BC) is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and Honduras is no exception. Much effort has been made to promote detection and early treatment. Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices in women about BC and its early detection and treatment. Patients and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed during the first trimester of 2017. A hundred consecutive patients were interviewed at the general medical and gynecological outpatient clinics at Centro de Salud San Miguel, Hospital Regional Santa Teresa de Comayagua and Hospital San Felipe de Tegucigalpa. The variables evaluated were sociodemographic, concepts about breast cancer, practice and method of breast self-examination and attitudes regarding the importance and promotion of self-examination. Results: Most interviewed women have heard of breast cancer, its diagnosis and treatment, but still about a quarter of them had incomplete concepts about the importance and method of self-examination, overstating the importance of imaging methods. Ninety on percent of respondents were between 21 and 50 years of age and 92% stated that eautoexam is practiced at least once a year. he best known method of treatment was surgery (78%). The interviewees were of the opinion that doctors do little to promote self-examination. CONCLUSION: BC education and breast self-examination should be updated in Honduras based on knowledge, attitudes and practices among our women, as well as evidence-based medicine. A multicenter baseline study is proposed.